100 Years
by CA-dancer19
Summary: A Galeniss love story spanned over several years. May change story some in the future.
1. Prologue

**Idea I got from the song "100 Years" by Five for Fighting. Gale's POV. Reviews never hurt anyone! Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The characters are Suzanne Collins and the song lyrics or references to it are Five for Fighting's. **

Prologue: I never thought this would happen or could happen to me but it did. I wasn't one to easily fall or believe in something. But this… I looked at her and knew. I knew that even if I lived to be a hundred years old I would never forget her. She was worth remembering.


	2. Fifteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The characters are Suzanne Collins and the song lyrics or references to it are Five for Fighting's and or Sara Bareilles'.**

I had just turned fifteen. It was a year after I'd met my Catnip. Let me say this. I _was _a skeptic. A skeptic of "love at first sight", I thought it was stupid, something that happened in mushy books. Then I laid eyes on a twelve year old, a twelve year old for crying out loud! A twelve year old with smoldering gray eyes filled with fear, bronzed skin, and gorgeous dark hair. Her pink lips parted with fear when I caught her studying my traps. I fell in love, skepticism be damned, and I fell _hard. _

Now I'm fifteen and in love with the thirteen year old Katniss. I still haven't told her, I have time right? No. I'm kidding myself. The threat of The Hunger Games looms over us always. I have too many entries. Katniss only has a few less than I do. We don't have time to lose. I waste my time dreaming and hoping but Katniss is too damn oblivious to even notice my staring at her. The way she pulls back an arrow, her small arm strong, her eyes determined, the swell of her slender hips, her small chest pressing out of her old t- shirts. Whenever I close my eyes, her pink lips, her grey eyes a mirror image of mine, her silky skin and her thick, smooth hair pulled back lazily into a braid. She's so close but so unattainable.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts as she hums quietly as we lie on our backs, gazing up at the canopy of the trees. I roll onto my side, watching her chest rise and fall. She rolls over and looks me straight in the face. I grab her hands, so miniscule in my own, and pull her up, closer to me. She appears startled, her lips parting in a way I know too well, her eyes fluttering like a startled birds. "Sing for me?" I ask hopefully as I let myself drop back down onto the leafy ground. _"Something always brings me back to you. It never takes too long. No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone. You hold me without touch. You keep me without chains. I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your rain. Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity. Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be. But you're on to me and all over me. You loved me 'cause I'm fragile. When I thought that I was strong. But you touch me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone. I live here on my knees as I try to make you see that you're everything I think I need here on the ground. But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go. The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down. You're on to me, on to me, and all over... Something always brings me back to you. It never takes too long." _Her voice lifts and lilts through the forest. Everything is quiet. She stops and I stare at her for just a moment longer. Her grey eyes question me and before I know what I'm doing I've grabbed her and pulled her to my chest. Giving her no time to protest, I kiss her, her lips soft under my own. "Oh Catnip… now what am I going to do?" I moan. "Gale?" she asks tentatively. "Do you… do you love me?" "Yes." I say honestly. "Katniss?" She turns to look at me and for a moment it's hard to think as I gaze into her grey eyes. "Do you love me?" She bites her lip and nods slowly. I feel an overwhelming joy take over me and once again she is in my arms, my lips on hers. We break away and she smiles. "Gale." She breathes. I've never loved this forest more.


	3. Eighteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The characters are Suzanne Collins and the song lyrics or references to it are Five for Fighting's, Taylor Swift's and The Civil War's.**

Three years later and I'm more in love with her than ever. I know Katniss is mine still… for time being at least. The Reaping is today. I wait for her in the forest with a fresh loaf of bread. The baker made an easy trade today. Katniss appears and I stab an arrow through the bread jokingly. "Look what I shot Catnip!" I yell when she appears. She laughs and says" Mm, it's still warm! How much did it cost?" I pull the arrow out before answering. "Just a squirrel, I think the old man felt sentimental today. Even wished me good luck." She rolls eyes. "We all feel closer today don't we? Prim left us a cheese." I grin. "Thank you Prim! I almost forgot, Happy Hunger Games!" I say in a stupid Capitol accent, I yank a blackberry off the bush and throw it for Katniss. "And may the odds- " I start. "Be ever in your favor." She finishes in an equally ridiculous accent. It feels as if we exist only in the forest, only in this moment. "We could do it you know." I tell her, as she is curled into my chest. "Do what?" she asks. "Leave the district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it." Her eyes widen and I can almost see the war inside her head. _Gale. Family. Gale. Family...Family. _"If we didn't have so many kids of course!" I add quickly. "Um... we should go. It's almost time for the Reaping." I say awkwardly. I pull her close to me and kiss her for what could be the last time. She breaks the kiss, a little breathless and waves goodbye.

I rush through my bath and into my dress clothes quickly, we actually were almost late. I meet Katniss and Prim outside their house and we to the square. "It'll be okay. I promise." She whispers to Prim. Prim nods, looking frightening out of her wits. Katniss looks worried and I rub her shoulder, whispering into her ear. "They won't choose her. It'll be fine. We'll be okay." Then we're separated into our age groups and I zone out as Effie Trinket frolics on the stage wearing God knows what. "And the female district 12 tribute is…" _Not Katniss. Anyone but my Catnip. Not Katniss. Please!_ "Primrose Everdeen." _Dammit! _I turn to search for Katniss. She looks horrified and Prim is crying. "No!" Katniss yells hoarsely. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" She screams. Prim is crying harder now. "No Katniss. Don't go!" I push my way through the crowd, plucking Prim off of Katniss. I touch her back lightly, trying to restrain myself from kissing her. It would just make her lose it. "Up you go Catnip." I say in a voice that doesn't sound like me. Effie Trinket is ecstatic. "What's your name?" she asks perkily. "Katniss Everdeen." She says her voice strong. "I'll bet my buttons that was your sister! Didn't want her to steal all the _glory_ right?" Katniss doesn't reply. Miffed, Effie moves onto the male tribute. "And the male district 12 tribute is… Peeta Mellark." I desperately want to take his place but Katniss stares at me, subtly shaking her head. _Don't do it. Don't volunteer. _

The rest of the time until I can visit her goes by in a blur, colors and shapes with nothing distinct. The only thought going through my head is: Katniss. My Katniss is going into the arena. To die. When the peacekeepers allow me to go into her room, her eyes are red and glimmering with tears. "Gale." She murmurs. And then she is wrapped into my arms as I murmur advice between our kisses. "Remember I love you… always." I tell her and kiss her one last time as the Peacekeepers pound on the door. "I'll keep them safe. I promise." I say. Katniss nods, tears flowing down her cheeks now. And then she's gone.

"_I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"_ The words still ring in my ears as I watch her on the screen. What could she do? It was Prim. They called Prim's name. She reacted immediately. The Capitol took her from me. And so it begins. I struggle through the Reaping replays. I hate seeing myself on the screen, pushing her up to her own death. The other tribute Peeta, is staring at Katniss and I feel anger and jealousy churn in my chest. As they parade into the Capitol my heart stops when I see Katniss cloaked in fire. I relax when I realize it's fake and Katniss is not in fact burning to death. Peeta is clasping his hands with Katniss and I notice wiggling her hand, trying to free it. Peeta's forwardness with her makes me uncomfortable. What did he think he was playing at? I feel more relaxed when Katniss receives an eleven for her training score. _She has a fighting chance! She can do it. _The interviews were the hardest._ "She came here with me."_ That bastard. And then a shot of Katniss blushing terribly red on the screen. My mother gasped and saying "Oh Gale…" But I was already gone. I ran through the forest, anger mounting, threatening to explode. I wanted to scream. If it will get him killed I will consider sending a _Career tribute_ a sponsor package. He has to die.

Watching the Games is making me stressed. Katniss is still alive but Peeta has joined the Careers, again I knew he was a bastard. Katniss had been dubbed "The Girl on Fire." The wall of fire explodes on the screen and my heart stops. Oh the irony. Her leg is nearly burnt off and the end of her braid is shorter thanks to the fireballs. The small girl from District 11, Rue is dying, and Katniss is singing for her, _I remember tears streaming down your face When I said, "I'll never let you go" When all those shadows almost killed your light I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone" But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight Just close your eyes The sun is going down You'll be alright No one can hurt you now Come morning light You and I'll be safe and sound..._ And when she finds Peeta, I can barely contain myself. And each time they kiss I feel my heart break a little more. And when they're in the cave… I left the house. I stormed into the woods. "What do I mean to you Katniss?" I shout. "Nothing? Every kiss was nothing? Every touch? Were you faking it all?" I can't take it anymore and I just collapse onto the forest's floor. All of our memories are here. The forest was our home.

After that viewing I didn't watch the Games any more. My mother kept me informed on who lived and died however. I had to have some way of watching Katniss after all. I surprised even myself when I wound up at the station to greet her (and _Peeta_) after they won. She ran up to me and wrapped her arms around me. I remained as stiff as a board. I locked eyes with Peeta and felt a surge of anger. I needed to kill him. The Boy with the Bread just wouldn't frickin' die. Katniss pulled back and looked at me worriedly. "Gale…" Her grey eyes were filled with concern. "Is something wrong? You know that whole thing was for the cameras right?" I look at Peeta again and back down at her. "It seemed real." I snapped my words harsh. Katniss' eyes glimmered with tears. "_He_ certainly seemed to think it was real." I said, feeling like a jerk but unable to stop. She lifted her head to glare at me. "Gale." "Yes?" "Just kiss me."

**(A/N: Sorry, this chapter was ridiculously long. I hope you stuck with me!)**


	4. Twenty One

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The characters are Suzanne Collins and the song lyrics or references to it are Five for Fighting's.**

As I lie flat on my back, I feel the orange spears of the first morning sun touch my eyelids painting the inside of my mind a flurry of bright colors. I rolled over cautiously trying not to jostle the still sleeping Katniss. Her dark curtain of hair was splayed across the alabaster pillow in her Victor's home creating a gorgeous contrast. Everything is still. Normally that would never make sense, Katniss _always _has nightmares. Prim called in the middle of the night, frightened. "Gale, she's doing it again… thrashing around. She keeps shouting out names. I don't know how to stop it. Peeta isn't here and he usually can calm her." She gasped, realizing she'd said the wrong thing. Though I trust Katniss I don't trust him. Prim cuts back in. "I swear Gale, nothing happens! Peeta is always a gentleman. He just… can you just come over already? I'm scared." I grab a jacket and give my mother an apologetic smile as she watches me go with lonely eyes.

The first I see when I get to her new house is Prim sitting on the steps, tears streaking her face and her fingers pulling nervously on her messy braids. "Just, try to calm her down… be careful, she'll scratch you." She murmured, massaging two thin red lines on her arms. I climbed the stairs trying not to think how many times Peeta might have been in my place. "No…NO! Let him go Cato! Let! Him! Go!" I heard Katniss screaming and crying and sped up, pushing through to her room. She was tossing and turning and swiping out at things I couldn't see. Poor Prim… I imagined her trying to soothe Katniss, Katniss' arms flying out at Prim's small frame. I shook Katniss, evading her clawed hands successfully and kept talking to her, trying to get her out of her head. "Katniss! Wake up! It's a dream. It's just a dream! I promise!" Slowly, her body stopped jolting out of my grip and I knew she was waking up. Her eyes fluttered open and she whimpered, her arms reaching out to me. "It's okay. You're okay. It was only a dream. I'm here Catnip." Her arms tightened around me and she pressed herself, her eyes still clamped shut, barricading her tears. She rolled over, the weight transfer drawing me out of my thoughts, fitting herself seamlessly into my arms. "Mmm. Gale." She murmured, half awake, her arms stretching to pull me closer. She sat up in shock her eyes snapping open as she crossed her arms over her silky camisole. "Why are you in my bed Gale?" she asked, squirming her bare shoulders. I lean back, hands behind my head, her bed more comfortable than the cot I have at home. "Simple really." I smirked. She rolls those beautiful gray eyes of hers…the Seam eyes, an exact copy of mine, and huffs. "Just tell me." She sighs. "Prim called me, said you were having nightmares and that _Peeta_," I spit his name, still holding a grudge. "Wasn't here to calm you so could I please come?" She flops back down next to me. "Much better than waking up next to Peeta." She murmurs and I stiffen, still not fully okay with him sleeping with Katniss. And then she kisses me and everything is fine.

"Katniss!" I shout. "Come out of that tree!" She giggles, only swinging up to a higher branch. "Never!" I slap my hand against the bark, relishing the crevices under my hand. "You know I can't climb trees." I accuse her. She shakes her braid, crossing her arms over her green shirt. "Duh. Why do you _think_ I came up here?" She bursts into laughter. "What if I told you I had a surprise for you?" I tease, the velvet box in my jacket pocket suddenly carrying the weight of the world. Her eyes light up and I'm reminded of Posy. "Are you coming down?" I ask playfully. She sighs dramatically. "If I _must_." A few moments later she is dancing around me. She always loved presents. "Do you want the surprise now?" I ask with a laugh. Katniss quirks an eyebrow. "Well, I didn't come down from that tree for nothing." I feel my heart flutter nervously. "Sit down, close your eyes and hold out your hands." Shockingly she obeyed, fidgeting on the tree trunk she had settled herself on. Kneeling, I pull the box out of my pocket and gently pluck the ring from its nest. I had saved ever since I had met Katniss for this moment. Saved enough money to finally buy this ring and say five words. I slide the gold band and its brilliant red stone onto her left ring finger. She gasps and opens her eyes at the metal's sudden coolness and I ask her what I've been yearning to say since I was only a fourteen- year old skeptic. "Will you marry me?" The world stops. Her eyes widen and her jaw drops. I wait for her to say something. Anything. "Katniss…" She looks so vulnerable without her mask. But I prefer that way. This is my Catnip. The one who laughs until she cries, the one who would sleep in trees if I allowed her… the one I love desperately and more than life itself. "Katniss… say something." She launches herself at me and we both fall to the ground. "Yes. Yes. Yes. I will say yes for the rest of my life as long as you never leave me. Please Gale. I need you to stay." She buries her head into my collarbone and I love how it fits perfectly just like a puzzle piece. "I couldn't leave you if I tried Katniss." I laugh quietly. "I _need _you."


End file.
